


A Study in Journalistic Mediocrity

by Spazzo47



Category: The Newsroom (US TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-20
Updated: 2018-09-20
Packaged: 2019-07-14 14:12:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16042091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spazzo47/pseuds/Spazzo47
Summary: For Lilac Mermaid's September Fan Fiction Challenge:  Swap RolesIt's the day of the Deep Water Horizon's sinking and Will meets his new Executive and Senior producers.  But they're not who you think.  Or maybe they are, but not like you expect.  And they didn't know each other before.  Any of them.  Anyway, if you think you know the story, well, it's the same one, but a little different.Anyway, just click and read.  :)





	A Study in Journalistic Mediocrity

Jim walked into the news division president’s office dreading what he knew was coming.  He’d wondered how he managed to make it this long.  Will McAvoy came to ACN after CNN asked him to leave because of the very public and scandalous breakup with Nina Howard.  Since then Will has gone through almost every executive and senior producer on the ACN payroll except Jim who was the senior producer of a midafternoon paranormal show.  The EP who hired him lasted about 2 weeks with Will before leaving and his second EP just went to _News Night_ a week ago.  They hadn’t even found a replacement EP for the paranormal show yet, and now Jim just knew Charlie wanted him to fill in on the network’s flagship show.  As much as Jim didn’t want to have his name associated with theories of ancient Egyptian aliens forever, he wanted to spend 2 weeks with Will even less. 

Jim took a breath and walked the final steps to Millie’s desk. 

“Jim!  Charlie will be so happy to see you.”  Millie punched some numbers on her desk phone and said in her most cheerful voice, “Charlie, Jim’s here to see you.”

“Well, send him on in.”

Millie smiled at the young journalist, “Does he make you do that for every staff member he’s about to condemn to the McAvoy hour?”

Millie chuckled genuinely.  “Every single one.”

“Fuck.”  He had a thought.  “Any advice?”

“Take it like a man and if you hang in until Will fires you, you come out of it with a promotion.”

Jim rolled his eyes and walked into the lion’s den. 

“Jim!  Have a seat.”  Charlie turned around and started pouring drinks.  “I bet you want to know why you’re here.”

“Austin left _News Night_ last night using Will’s name in vein and told you he was never stepping into that newsroom again, so you need a new EP.”

Charlie handed Jim a glass and ran his story through his head.  He shrugged his shoulders and said, “Close enough.”  As he sat down, he reset and said, “You’re direct, I like that about you.  And I didn’t ask, but I think that’s why Will specifically asked for you to be his new EP.”

“He asked for me?  I didn’t know he even knew my name.”

“He didn’t.  He said, what about one of the afternoon seniors.  But he’s going to like you, I’m a good judge of these things.”

Jim cocked his head.  “He’s had 12 EPs in the last year and a half.”

“Well, that’s just because you weren’t ready yet.  But now you are.”

Jim wasn’t convinced.  “Uh-huh.”

“Here’s the deal, Jim, and no one else has gotten this.  You come in on Monday ready to take over Will’s show and I’m going to give you a journalism professor I met at that Northwestern journalism panel I was on a few weeks ago.  She’s going to be your senior for one week, her spring break.  After that, she won’t be able to resist coming back to news full time.  She’ll be his EP once her summer vacation starts and I’ll give you the new news show and you can do whatever you want with it.  As long as it gets the ratings we need.”

Jim had to take a second to consider this.  “Journalism professor?  You mean Dr. McHale?  The one that said ‘it’s not but it can be’?”

“The very same.  You should read her dissertation on what news is.  Hell, I might make that required reading for everyone with producer in their title.  I just need someone who can put up with Will for 9 weeks until she’s available.”

“And who’s my Senior for the 8 weeks after her spring break?  And what happens if she doesn’t get the bug for actually doing news?”

Charlie cut him off before Jim could ask any more questions Charlie would have to make up the answer for.  “Don Keefer has been keeping _News Night_ afloat as senior this long, he’ll keep going in that role.”

“He doesn’t want the promotion?”

“And be in Will’s direct line of fire?  Are you kidding?”  Charlie looked at Jim and said, “You’ll do fine, kid.  First rundown meeting is at 11 on Monday.”  Charlie quickly ushered Jim out the door before Jim could say anything else.  Once the door clicked closed, Charlie let out a breath.  God he hoped this worked. 

The weekend came and went.  Jim arrived at his new office 10AM Monday morning, greeted by a blond sitting at a computer looking confused.  “Hi, I’m Jim Harper, the new –”

“Executive producer.  Of course.  I’m Ellen, I mean Maggie.  Will, Mr. McAvoy thinks my name is Ellen, but it isn’t.  It’s –”

“Maggie.”

“Right.”  Maggie smiled at him. 

“Why do you let him call you Ellen if your name is Maggie?”

“I don’t know.  I’ve tried correcting him, but he keeps saying he’s right.”

Jim started to say something but stopped.  “My office, I guess is over here?”

“Yes.  It’s the one right there.  Good lunch.  I mean, luck.”

Jim smiled while walking to his office.  He didn’t bring much with him since he really didn’t think he would be there much longer than a couple weeks.  As he sat down, he heard… Maggie, her name is Maggie, he’d have to remember that.  Someone should call the poor girl by the right name.  Jim got up from his seat and walked back out his office door.

“Hey, Maggie, I’m expecting a new senior produc—”

As in on cue, Mackenzie McHale walked in with her hand out, “Mackenzie McHale, you can call me Mac.  I would have been here sooner, but HR held me up.”

“HR’s a bitch sometimes,” said Jim genially.  “I’m Jim by the way.  The new Executive Producer.”

Mackenzie seemed to ignore the young man and said, “They wished me luck and said that I should be fine, I’m not his type.  I’m not sure what that means.”

While Jim shrugged his shoulders, Maggie answered, “Will usually goes for tall, blonde and leggy.”

Jim and Mac looked at Maggie.  Feeling self-conscious, she said, “Well, you are leggy.”

Mac shook her off and started walking Jim towards the offices.  When he figured out what she was doing he guided her to his office.  “I’ve been watching some previous episodes of the show and there are some changes that I think we need to make immediately.  I know that you’re probably under some sort of mandate to bring in ratings, but with all due respect, the shit your putting on barely constitutes news.”  She looked at Jim and said, “No offense.”

“None taken.  This is my first day here too.”

Mac looked concerned.  “Really?  Then who’s been in charge of the shitfest that’s been on?”

“I assume that’s Will.  He’s the managing editor… but I wouldn’t –”

“Well where the fuck is he?  We are not going to continue dumbing down the news while I’m here.”

Jim looked a little like a deer in the headlights, “I’m, not sure.  I haven’t seen him –”

Mac started walking quickly to the door with Jim jogging to catch up.  “He’s actually got some talent, I’ve seen his 9/11 boradcast and a few other notable stories, but this shit…”  She stopped when they arrived at Maggie’s desk.  “Where is Will McAvoy?”

“I’m not sure.  I’m not his secretary.  Not really.  I was an intern, and then he thought –”

“That’s okay.  I’m going up to Charlie’s office to find out where this idiot is.”

“I don’t think he’d like being called an idiot.”

Mac glared at the younger woman and then started walking out.  The elevator doors opened again and in walked Will.  Mackenzie recognized him immediately and walked directly to him.  “Are you responsible for this reprehensible shitshow that goes on the air every night at 8.”

Will looked amused as he held out his hand.  “Yes I am.  Will McAvoy.  And you are?”

“Let’s get this straight first.  I don’t like you.  I’m not going to like you.  And I’m not impressed by the folksy, everyman image that you want your audience to have of you.  It’s bullshit and I don’t appreciate how you get off on people saying that you’re cute as an excuse for not covering the God damned news!”

Watching this, Jim sat on the end of Maggie’s desk.  “Are we being set up?  Do they know each other?”

Maggie shrugged her shoulders.

Will smiled even more broadly, “Well, since we’re telling truths.  I don’t like some pushy broad walking into my newsroom and insulting me before even telling me her name or why the fuck she thinks she gets to have an opinion.  And I don’t get off on anything, except when I have a naked woman under me, or sometimes –”

“Okay, I got it.  You are determined to continue your low class show as well as your low-class life.  I just want to put you on notice that while I’m here, we’re going to try an experiment and do the news.”

For the first time, Will looked her seriously.  “Oh, you’re one of the ambitious ones.  They’re usually the ones that quit after a few days.”

“Well, let’s just see how this week goes and if I like it I’ll consider staying another week until I find a way to get you fired.”

Maggie turned to Jim, “Ballsy!”

“She’s bluffing.  She’s only here for a week.”  Maggie and Jim shared a laugh while the other couple continued their conversation.

 “I’m Mackenzie McHale, Professor of Journalism, Northwestern University.”

Will took a second to think.  “Oh, right.  You were the one who gave that lame brained answer to “Why is America the best country on earth?”  You get points for having the balls to say all that, you lose them for not realizing that you don’t have the right to say any of it.”

“Don’t let the accent fool you.  I have dual citizenship –”

Mimicking her, Will said, “Don’t let the accent fool you.”  Using his regular voice.  “I don’t care where you were born or… anything.  You didn’t have the right because no one knows who the fuck you are.  If a big named journalist who has – what was it?  A populist, folksy, everyman image – said it, it would have had impact.  For some skinny, no name woman who goes to school and quotes books about journalism instead of actually having to deal with real news coming in and balancing that with keeping ratings, which, yes, involves maintaining a clean image.  It means nothing.”

“So, you think you would have done that better?”

“I would have gotten a fucking standing ovation.”

Mackenzie nodded her head and considered his words.  “Your problem is you think you know your audience.  You get ratings that make your boss happy and so you think they want to see you water down the news to some headlines and powder pieces.  My audience that day were my students who have my respect and respect me.  Several of them dissected what I said and wrote thoughtful pieces agreeing and disagreeing with it.”  Mackenzie looked and Will laughing at her.  “What’s wrong with you, Billy?”

“First, no one calls me Billy.”

“I think I just did.”

“Second, you can’t see the hypocrisy in calling me an egotist for – what did you say? – getting off on my rating, but you brainwash your students to think like you then force them to write a response to what you said and it’s a win for democracy.”

Mackenzie smirked at him. “A win for democracy would be if you used your looks, your eloquence, and your intellect for some God damned patriotic use, instead of being the subject of a lecture I give every year called, ‘Will McAvoy:  A Study in Journalistic Mediocrity’.  There is a better way, _Billy._ ”

“Stop calling me that.  And what way do you think that is?  My job is to cover the news and bring in ratings, and that’s what I do.”

“Your job is to inform America of the truth, to inform the electorate of what their government is doing, and to hold those politicians accountable for their decisions.”

Will scoffed at her.  “And I suppose you’re going to show all of us how to do that?  I simply cannot wait to see you fall on your ass.” 

“You bet your… balls I will.  Tonight’s show is going to kick the ass of your last FIVE shows.”

Will laughed at her.  “Well, if it doesn’t suit up by 3:00, we’re going to do a regular broadcast.”  He looked around the newsroom and found Jim standing nearby.  “Hey kid.  Can you find my EP?  I want to make sure that he’s prepared to take over for this woman.”

“Well actually sir, I’m –”

“He’s going to do just fine.”  Mac said it so confidently that Jim and Maggie believed her.    

Jim and Maggie started walking her to the conference room.  “Come on, Mac.  Let’s start planning.”

As they walked away, Mackenzie looked back at Will.  “The last ten shows!”  Jim and Maggie gave each other concerned looks.

\-----------------

The production staff sat around the conference room table yelling out ideas while Jim scribbled them as fast as he could on the white board and Mac shot them down, saying none of them went far enough.  When she gave a rousing speech about how it was journalists that figured out Watergate and the Iran-Contra Affair, Kendra told her that those stories took months to research, they didn’t just come together.  Martin then suggested they cover the evolution of the iPhone since the new one should be coming out soon.  Everyone went silent and looked at him.  Finally, Mackenzie said, “Were you stung by a bumblebee?  What was I just saying?  We need real news.  Something that will make a real impact.”

Will chose that moment to walk into conference room and everyone looked at him.  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt… whatever the fuck you’re doing.  But usually by this time I have at least a rough idea what I should be writing in my script.”

“We’ll get you a fucking script, don’t worry about that.”

Will looked at Mackenzie laughing.  When she saw his pompous arrogance, she got angrier which made Will laugh even more.  Finally, he turned to Jim.  “And what the fuck is that mess, Scooter?”

“It’s, uh, Jim actually.  And, uh, these are just some quick ideas we had.  We’ll get you something more formal in a little bit.”

“Well, that makes me feel so much better.”  Will looked back and Mackenzie.  “Since you have this under control, I guess I’ll go back to my office and work on my actual script for the day.  Don’t keep the ones who need to put packages together too long.”

Will left and Mackenzie looked at the rest of the team.  “Okay, we have an hour to find something important to cover.  There’s a whole war going on halfway across the world.  What angle hasn’t been talked about ad nauseum?”

While the producers started thinking, a quiet knock came to the door.  Mackenzie didn’t have any patience for anything, so she yelled back, “Yes, come in!”

Maggie poked her head in and cautiously took a step inside.  “Mac, uh, I just noticed a news alert.  There was an explosion on an oil rig, and, uh, well, I had this roommate, who uh.  Here’s her number.  You should talk to her.”

Mackenzie looked at Jim and said, “I’ll talk to the roommate with Maggie.  Should someone start getting some background?”

Jim agreed, “Go, go, I’ll take care of this.”

Mackenzie and Maggie came out of their phone meeting feeling like they had figured out a cover up.  When they walked out of Jim’s office talking, everyone who wasn’t in the conference room followed them there.  As they entered, they heard Tess explaining to Jim about a much older ex-boyfriend who worked at Haliburton.  As different people chimed in with different pieces they learned, Jim started outlining their information on the whiteboard.  Naturally, people started moving in and out of the conference room to make phone calls or report something they learned.  During the commotion, Will stepped out of his office and saw people working harder than he’d ever seen.  After watching for a minute, he walked to the conference room to see what caused all this activity.  In the center of the room he saw Jim and Mac directing people and organizing the chaos around them.  He took a look at the white board Mackenzie had now claimed as her own.  She drew a line between two statements and tapped Jim on the shoulder to show him.  He nodded his head while another producer kept talking.”

Will’s curiosity couldn’t take anymore, so he yelled, “Can someone tell me what the fuck is going on?”

For a moment the conference room went silent.  Then everyone started talking at once.  Will yelled again.  “Everyone stop.”  Pointing at Mackenzie, he said, “You!  What’s going on?”

“While you were taking a nap or whatever the fuck you do in the middle of the day, we decided to do the news.  Let’s go to your office and I’ll take you through this.”  As Will and Mackenzie started walking out, she walked back to tap Jim on the shoulder and cocked her head so he would follow.

After they walked Will through the story, he said, “You want me to put my reputation and the reputation of this network on the line based on the word of an ex-boyfriend and a college roommate?”

“No, I want you to cover a story based on the solid reporting of a dozen journalists who want to do more than play news people like children play dress up.”

“You need to learn that there is a hierarchy in a newsroom.”

Jim thought about it for a second and said, “And the EP is the top of it.  I decide what is newsworthy and I believe this is.”

Will had forgotten the younger man standing in his office.  “Actually Skippy, the managing editor is the final word.  But nice try.”

“I would hope that the managing editor wouldn’t throw away an opportunity like this just to prove a fucking point.”  Mackenzie crossed her arms and stared at him with challenge on her face. 

Will sat back in his chair and considered his options.  “I’m thinking.”  After a second, he said, “Let’s say I did believe this entire yarn that you’ve spun.  How would you prove it to me in an hour?”

Jim asked, “To you or to an audience?”

Will smiled at him, impressed.  “Let’s start with convincing me, then we’ll figure out how to get it to an audience.”

Mackenzie stuck her head out the door.  “Someone get me Maggie and Tess.”

\-----------

At the end of the show, the production staff went out for drinks.  Will stayed back and went to Charlie’s office.  “Congratulations!  That was some show.”

“Yeah.”

Charlie held back a laugh as he said, “You look a little far away there, Will.  What’s going on?”

“I’d forgotten what it’s like to do the news like that.”

“Feels good, doesn’t it?”

Will nodded his head, still thinking.  “She did it.  Her idealism, it…”  Finally he was struck with something.  “I want her.”

Charlie’s eyes got big.  “Excuse me?”

“For my show, Charlie.  I want her for my show.  She inspires something and… I need that… I need her.”


End file.
